Method of and composition for treating fabrics to seal threads thereof



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XI QQUQ JQFIP- Patented Aug. 4, 936

.1 ir 1 it j UN TED: STATES METHOD OF AND COMPOSITION FOR TREATING FABRICS TO SEAL THREADS THEREOF Forrest J. Major, Ocean Park, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to The Run-Ban Com- D y, Ohio teubenville, Ohio, a corporation of No Drawing. Continuation of application Serial No. 724,202, May 5, 1934.

This application This invention relates to a composition particularly adapted for the washing and cleaning of garments, one form of said invention being characterized by its ability to strengthen delicate fabrics such as hosiery and other garments, whereby so-called runs or unraveled areas in the fabric are prevented.

Generally stated, the composition of this invention has detergent properties which'facilitate the removal of oily and other impurities and also has the property of coalescing or sealing individual fibres of the fabric, thereby preventing the fibres from splitting and eventually breaking.

The so-called runs of silk hose, for example, are

' primarily due to a splitting of a thread or fibre into a bundle of extremely minutefibre portions which then break, causing the cloth to unravel;

The composition of this invention prevents the initial splitting of the fibres. Moreover, certain forms of the composition impart or retain the elasticity of the fibres, thereby preventing the fibres from becoming brittle. In addition, when a thread is composed of a number of undivided fibres, the composition causes the individual fibres to remain sealed together.

These and other'desired properties are imparted to the composition by the conjoint use of particular ingredients, as will be described hereinafter in greater detail.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to disclose and provide a detergent composition capable of strengthening and sealing delicate fibres.

Another object is to disclose and provide an aqueous soap composition adapted for use in washing and cleaning fabrics.

A still further object of the invention is to disclose and provide an aqueous soap composition containing sealing and plasticizing whereby fabrics and/ or garments made therefrom may be cleaned, sealed and strengthened.

The composition of this invention is preferably made in concentrated form, which is then used as a base in the cleaning and treatment of fabrics, garments and the like. The base may contain water in varying quantities, the quantity of water depending upon the concentration desired. In use, a small quantity of the base composition is added to water or a dilute soap solution in which the garments are to be washed. Under certain conditions it is highly desirable to add a small quantity of a dilute or weak acid, such as for example, acetic acid, to the washing solution before removing the garment from such solution, rinsing and drying in the usual manner,

The basic ingredients comprise soap and a resin,

agents 7 oleoresin or wax. In the simplest embodiment of the invention, the wax or resin is dissolved in a suitable solvent (either aqueous or organic) and then incorporated in a strong or concentrated soap solution, such as a, solution containing ap- T proximately 50% of soap. Whether an organic solvent is used or an aqueous solvent depends upon the character of the wax or resin. Certain resins, such as gum dammar and degummed resins, can be placed in solution in alkaline aque- 10 ous media, such as solutions containing ammonia, caustic soda and even relatively weak organic bases such as triethanolamine;

When the gums or resins are soluble only in organic solvents, such as alcohol, benzol, benzene, amyl acetate or petroleum hydrocarbon solvents, then the resulting product should contain a. sufiicient amount of soap so as to form an emulsion containing the aqueous soap solution in the external phase and the solvent-resin o solution in the internal dispersed phase. Generally, the amount of soap should be more than twice the amount of resin or wax. When the final product is to be in the form of an emulsion, the dispersing effect of the aqueous soap solution may be facilitated by the formation of a triethanolamine oleate or other triethanolamine soap during compounding.

The following illustrates a composition made in accordance with the above disclosure: 1 part of J & G wax maybe melted and dissolved in 4 parts of water containing 0.25 part of triethanolamine; 0.25 part of oleic acid may then be added to the hot solution and the resulting mixture then incorporated in 2 or 3 parts of a soap 5 solution prepared by dissolving soap in a substantially equal weight of water. Any of the socalled cold water soaps may be used. 7

When the above composition is used in washing fabrics or garments such as silk hosiery, a small quantity, say 1 fluid ounce, of the base composition is added to 1 quart of.water, the hose washed therein, and a. small quantity, say 1 or 2 fluid ounces, of a 10% acetic acid solution added thereto. The acetic acid appears to exert a gelatinizing or setting effect upon the wax or resin, thereby hardening and strengthening the fibres. The hose may then be removed from the washing solution and rinsed and dried in the usual manner. Instead of acetic acid or vinegar, other weak acids such as tartaric and citric may be used. The acidification is to be carried out while the fabrics are in contact with the solution, the sealing, coagulation or precipitation of the resin upon the fibers taking place at that time.

Various waxes and resins may be used in the manner described hereinabove. Particularly good effects have been obtained with some of the synthetic resins,,such as the phenol condensation type, the diphenyl chloride type, and colophony. Beeswax, carnauba, copal and so-called Montan wax have also been used. In order to make certain that the treated fabric or garment retains elastic andpliant properties, it is desirable that the finished composition contain a small proportion of rubber. The following illustrates a composition containing both resin and rubber, together with ranges in which the ingredients may be varied:

Example Range Percent Rubber Resin Organic solvent Oleic acid Triethanolamine.

Differently expressed, the composition may contain about 2 parts of soap and 10 parts of solvent to 1 part of rubber and resin by weight.

In the preferred manner of making up compositions of the hereinabove stated general character, the rubber and resin are preferably dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as benzene, benzol, or mixtures containing the hydrocarbon solvents. A portion of the triethanolamine, diluted with water, is then added to the solution of rubber and resin, with agitation. Oleic acid and the remainder of the triethanolamine together with a small proportion of water may then be intermixed to form a triethanolamine soap, which is then diluted with remaining water and intimately mixed with the solution of resin and rubber in the solvent. The desired amount of soap is then dissolved in water, generally by the use of heat, so as to form a concentrated soap solution into which the solventtriethanolamine soap dispersion is then incorporated. Obviously, the proportion 'of water appearing in the final composition may vary greatly, depending upon the concentration of the base mixture desired. In addition to the ingredients specified hereinabove, a small quantity of nitrocellulose may be incorporated in the solvents containing the resin and rubber. By the term rubber as used herein, reference is made to the unvulcanized coagulated rubber of commerce.

When nitrocellulose is used in the composition, it is used in small quantities comparable to those used for rubber, namely, 0.1% to 2.0% by weight of the composition.

The sealing effect referred to hereinabove which either combines split fibres or individual fibres constituting a thread of material, is particularly pronounced when the composition is used on natural silk and cotton goods. The same sealing effect is not obtained to the same extent on fabrics or threads of cellulose acetate or cellulose substitution derivatives.

When used on silk fibres or fabrics, sealing or cementing action is limited to individual fibres without detracting from the softness, pliability and strength of the fibres. In the event larger quantities of rubber, resin and/or nitrocellulose than those referred to in the preferred ranges hereinabove, are employed, then the entire fabric may be rendered more moisture or water-resistant. The washing or treating solutions should then contain a much higher proportion of the basic composition than the illustrative proportions referred to hereinabove.

This application is a continuation of Serial No. 724,202.

All changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. An aqueous soap composition containing a sodium soap and triethanolamine soap, and a solution of resin and coagulated rubber in a solvent, said resin and rubber solution being in stable dispersion in the aqueous soap, said composition containing some free triethanolamine, said solvent being in excess of the soap and said soap being in excess of. the rubber and resin by weight.

2. An aqueous soap composition adapted for use in the treatment of fabrics to seal threads thereof, comprising an aqueous soap solution containing from about 0.1% to 2.0% of coagu lated rubber, 1% to 8% of resin, 5% to 20% of soap, organic solvents in quantity sufiicient to dissolve the rubber and resin and water.

3. An aqueous soap composition adapted for use in the treatment of fabrics to seal threads thereof, comprising an aqueous soap solution containing coagulated rubber, resin, soap, oleic acid, triethanolamine in excess of that capable of combining with oleic acid, organic solvents in quantity sufficient to dissolve the rubber and resin and water, said solvent being in excess of the soap and said soap being in excess of the rubber and resin by weight.

4. An aqueous soap emulsion having an organic solvent dispersed therein, said solvent containing resin and coagulated unvulcanized rubber in solution therein, said solvent being in excess of the soap and said soap being in excess of the rubber and resinrby weight, said soap emulsion being adapted to seal and strengthen threads of silken fabrics immersed therein in the presence of added acid.

5. A method of strengthening and sealing threads of silken fabrics, which comprises contacting fabrics with a dispersion of a soap emulsion containing an organic solvent dispersed therein, said solvent having resin and coagulated rubber in solution, said dispersion containing not more than about 2% of rubber and 8% of. resin, and then acidifying said soap dispersion while in contact with said fabric.

6. An aqueous emulsion containing an organic solvent dispersed in a soap solution, said organic solvent containing coagulated rubber and resin dissolved therein, said emulsion containing the ingredients in the ratio of about 2 parts of soap and 10 parts of solvent to 1 part of rubber and resin by weight, said emulsion beingv adapted to seal and strengthen threads of silken fabrics immersed therein in the presence of added weak acids.

FORREST J. MAJOR. 

